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Wednesday, June 29, 2016

This week's update... rawr! LOL Inspired by the prompt: "There's a first time for everything." Enjoy!!

Chapter Seven

Kraig broke the kiss and
gasped for air, his chest moving like bellows. He whimpered, running his hands
over my body. I rubbed his side gently, the ripples of his ribs reminding me of
how much he’d been through. I didn’t want him to wear out before we got to the
good part.

Eager to combine our scents
and claim him again, I pushed one hand between us and circled our shafts,
pressing them together. Kraig cried out and pushed forward into my grip. He
buried his face against my neck and shoulder, rubbing his cheeks against me to
spread his scent. “More,” he demanded.

I’d give him whatever he
wanted, no matter what it was, but this was my pleasure. I leaked enough fluid
to smooth my strokes as I drove our pleasure to a feverish pitch in less than a
minute. Pride swelled at every sound I wrung from him, and the raspy touch of
his tongue and the sharp dragging points of his teeth on my skin as he tasted
me tested my control.

“Yes.” I needed him to bite,
to blood me of his own free will. I’d beg if I had to. “Please, Kraig. I need
you.”

The sharp flare of pain as his
razor-sharp teeth sank into my flesh sent me over the edge, and I roared my
triumph. Hot fluid spilled over my fingers as my balls spasmed and I stroked
faster when Kraig mewled and began to suck on the wound. His hips bucked once,
twice, and then the scent of his completion mingled with mine as our spunk
mixed between us.

Nothing had ever felt so
right. Kraig began to purr as I wiped my hand on his stomach and then rubbed
our seed into his skin. His stomach was concave, and both his hipbones stuck
out, but his purr was strong enough to make his chest vibrate against mine.

“I like that,” I said, when I
could breathe again.

“Coming? Most guys do.” Kraig
let out a faint laugh.

“I meant your purring.” I was
a little disappointed it stopped.

Kraig’s face flushed. “It’s
not normal.”

Like I cared about normal.
“So? It feels nice, and it lets me know when you’re happy.”

“How is this even real? I’m not
dreaming, am I?” Kraig’s pupils took up nearly his whole irises as he stared up
at me. “It feels like you’re here, but....” His lip trembled, and he looked
away.

I put my hand on his cheek and
turned him back so I could meet his eyes. Feathering my thumb across the
bottom, I parted his lips. “Smell us together. Taste us on my skin. This is
real, and I will never let you go.”

His tongue flashed out,
sliding across my finger, and then he parted his lips when I pressed forward.
He sucked hard, and my eyes damn near crossed. When he got better, and we could
finally fulfill all the fantasies I’d had over the years, I was going to be in
big trouble. My status as an alpha meant I should have more power, more
stamina, more... everything, but his touch made me as weak as a kitten, and I
couldn’t resist him.

Which I didn’t want to do
anyway. Kraig wondered if this was real, and maybe he had a point. My dreams
had been vivid but I always woke up alone, disappointed sharp after the
all-too-brief moment of happiness before the specter of him in my arms had
disappeared. The pressure around my thumb eased, and Kraig began to blink
slower and slower.

I slid my finger out and then
claimed his mouth in a soft kiss, easing us both down from the intensity of the
moment we’d shared. Wrapping him up in my arms, I surrounded Kraig in my
warmth. He sighed and rested his cheek against my chest. “Sleep. I’ll still be
here when you wake up.”

Lunch arrived before Kraig
woke. It would stay warm long enough for him to wake on his own, so I let him
sleep a bit longer while I worked at my desk. The streak was consumed with the
rumors of Kraig’s return, and I had more than the usual requests for
meetings—probably so people could try to catch a glimpse of him.

I knew he wouldn’t want that,
though, so I adjudicated as many disputes as I could and put the rest off.
Through the open door, I saw Kraig begin to move. I stood up immediately, but
by the time I was in the bedroom he’d thrown of the blankets and was thrashing
on the bed and whining.

“Wake up, Kraig.” He didn’t
respond to my call, so I climbed on the bed, hovering over him. I chuffed as I patted
his cheek. His eyes shot open, but his gaze was empty as he stared up at me in
horror.

“Ahh!” I clapped a hand
between my legs and fell sideways on the bed, nauseating pain radiating from my
nuts.

Kraig pushed away and fell off
the bed with a hard thump. I wanted to check on him, but I couldn’t move as I
fought down the urge to hurl. Sweat beaded up on my forehead while my ears
rang. It took a few minutes before I could uncurl. Creeping to his side of the
bed, I peeked at where Kraig fell... but he wasn’t there.

I slipped off the bed, and
then I saw the faint shine of his eyes where he huddled under the frame near
the wall. I never thought I’d have to crawl around under the bed as an adult,
but there was a first time for everything.

“Kraig? Can you hear me? It’s
Deke. You can come out.”

“Go away.” Kraig snarled.

“Can’t. Your mom would kill me
if she knew I let you get covered in dust bunnies.”

TBCWant to read more free fiction? Check out the other updates by my fellow Briefers:Briefers Website

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Another week, another update! I almost didn't get his done, not writing until Tuesday and then giving myself a salt imbalance with too much water and too much yard work, but I pushed through because this scene just begged to be written. Next week's is already hot in my mind... and I bet yours when you're done reading this week's flash inspired by the prompt: "I dreamed about you last night." Enjoy!

Chapter Six

“Us?” Kraig craned his head
back and looked at me. “I thought you wanted to know what the doctor did to me,
what I knew about the way he changed me. I’ve been trying to remember if I
heard any names when the others came, but my memory is hazy.”

I shook my head. “That’s
important, but I still need to finish going through his files. You’re
malnourished and exhausted. I don’t want to put you through that trauma after
all I’ve already put you through.”

Kraig frowned. “You’ve said
something like that twice now. You didn’t do anything to me.”

Guilt swamped me. “I blooded
you. You told me no.”

“Because you deserve more than
me. You’re an alpha, a streak leader, and I am... was human werekin. Now I’m a
freak.”

“You know I wanted you as a
human werekin; the bias and small-minded bigotry in other groups is not how I
run this streak. My father would come back from the beyond and kick my ass if I
even thought of believing that crap. And I’d deserve it. He’d probably do it
anyway, if he knew how I blooded you. If there had been time, I would’ve tried
to give you a choice, but I couldn’t lose you. I’m sorry.”

Kraig shivered, and I pulled
the blankets up higher, tucking them behind his back. He dropped his gaze,
hiding those cornflower blue eyes. He licked his lips. “Do you... regret it?
With me?”

“Saving you was the only
choice. If there had been another way, I wouldn’t have blooded you though. I
know you left because you didn’t want me.” It killed my alpha pride, and my
stomach churned as I considered our future. “You still don’t.”

“What?” Kraig plastered a cool
hand on my chest and pushed away so he could scoot up in the bed and look me
full in the face. “I’ve always wanted you, but I wanted what was best for you
more.”

“You’re what’s best for me.” I
stroked his sharp cheekbone with my thumb, cupping his face gently. “When I
thought we’d lost you, I was devastated. I haven’t looked at anyone else to
blood bond with–I couldn’t. Even thinking about it made me sick. Ever since I
knew what a mate was, I wanted you to be mine. But you wouldn’t mate me.”

“And that just drove your
alpha nature crazy.” Kraig snorted indelicately. “You always did expect
everyone to fall in line with what you thought was best.”

“I was a jerk back then, but I
thought I’d changed. If you want to leave, when you’re better, I won’t stop
you.” It was like ripping out my heart to even say it; I’d be left off worse
than broken if he did, but I had to let him make the choice.

A pained look crossed Kraig’s
face.

“What is it? Are you okay?” He’d
warmed up, but he was still in rough shape. “Where does it hurt?”

“Not if it was my choice. But
I won’t make you stay if you want to leave. We’ll find a way to make the blood
bond work somehow.” The tiger spirit inside me was not happy even saying the
words.

Kraig took a deep breath and
let it out in a long sigh, the tension leaving his body as he leaned closer to
me, tucking his head against my neck. The warm puff of his breath brushed
against my skin as he said, “I tried to run before, and look how that turned
out. You know, I dreamed about you last night.”

“You did?” I held my breath,
everything hanging on what Kraig was saying.

“I dreamed about you every
night when they had me. What our life could’ve been like together—the happiness
I’d pushed away when I refused to let you risk your status with the other
groups by blood bonding with me.”

“I never cared about that.” My
heart began to pound faster, and Kraig flattened his hand on my chest again. “You’re
the most important thing in my life.”

“We might not have a
traditional bonding, but I want you for my mate. I never want to live feeling
the kind of regret I did all those nights when I’d wake up, so happy from being
in your arms, and realize I was still on the cold stone floor of whatever
basement I was chained up in.”

“So...?” I needed him to say
it.

“I’m never leaving you. You’re
my mate, and I’m yours.”

Relief swamped me, and I had
to close my eyes to hide the stinging tears that made Kraig’s face blur. “Thank
fuck.”

He chuckled. “Tell me how you
really feel,” he joked.

I opened my eyes. “I love you,”
I said.

Kraig’s breath caught in his
throat, and his eyes began to shine in the soft light seeping in past the
curtains. He licked his lips. “I love you too.”

We’d bonded, we’d slept in the
same bed, and I just heard the words I love you come from my mate... but we’d
never kissed. The first press of my lips to his made me glad we were lying
down—my knees would’ve buckled if we were standing.

The soft warmth, the taste of
his skin, and the flick of his tongue against my lips, all combined with the knowledge
that he wanted me as much as I wanted him... I groaned. Kraig took advantage
and thrust his tongue inside my mouth. His hand slid up my chest and neck to
sink into the hair on the back of my head as he took control of the kiss.

And I was perfectly content to
let him. I followed his lead, pulling him close with a hand on his lower back.
This time his erection met mine, and I swallowed his shuddering whimper.

“Deke! Oh god, please.”

TBC

Enjoy that? *smirks* Okay, go check out the other updates by this week's flashers.Briefers Website

Friday, June 17, 2016

I can finally share the awesome cover made by Christine Griffin for Cosmic Inception. This moment in time was so poignant and intense, and the cover Cris made brought it to life!

Blurb:

Their journey will span the universe and back, but there’s no guarantee they’ll make it together.

Though Nick and Fieo are drawn to each other, their relationship has never been easy. Their differences go beyond their races, but they’ve managed to work together to prevent the spread of corruption, growing closer along the way. Nick still battles the effects of years of loneliness, fear, and pain but surprises everyone when he refuses to stay behind when Fieo is sent on a vital mission to find the Collectors. Fieo objects, but there’s no stopping Nick when he sets his mind to something. Over the course of their mission, it becomes clear Nick is more than anyone ever imagined, but the mystery of his past threatens to derail his future.

The search for the truth will take Fieo and Nick far from Caeorleia, to worlds both familiar and completely alien, and put stress on their already tenuous relationship. It’s a journey that will either tear them apart or finally bring them together.

“Can
you explain how you know that?” I’d only just seen the black organ for myself.
The Collector said it had to do with the ancient race and that I was special,
but all I saw was something that scared the shit out of me. “How is that thing
supposed to help me save a being the size of an entire planet? Compared to you,
I am miniscule, nothing.”

Fieo
pinned me with a look. “You are not
nothing.” I broke his stare, unable to hold it. “You are my whole world.” What
I saw in his gaze was raw emotion, more than passion and want, and I could
sense his feelings for me though the bond like a wave washing over me.

I
swallowed hard, closing my eyes. All that love, for me, was overwhelming. I
tried to share my feelings back with him, all the love and gratitude that he
was part of my life, no matter what I’d endured before we met.

The
being looked from me to him at Fieo’s fierce objection. “I can sense you,
through him. You care very much.”

“We’re
joined in besedad. He is my tziu. I would do anything for him.” Fieo
spoke quietly, his hum full of conviction.

She
stared at him, but then nodded. “I will try to use terms you will understand.
Your form is somewhat familiar, but so much is different.”

Was the being rifling around in my body and my mind? The thought sent a
shudder down my spine. Why did I keep getting caught up in situations where
aliens mucked about in my brain at will?

Thursday, June 16, 2016

That moment you've been waiting for... Cosmic Inception is about to hit Dreamspinner's Coming Soon! In honor of that, I've arranged a Cover Reveal Blast contest tomorrow. Make sure you don't miss out on seeing the amazing cover and enter my contest!

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Maybe no one else had ever
noticed, but Kraig should’ve remembered. Whenever I ate at his parents’ house I
dished up my plate first, and I’d take things I knew he liked—because Park knew
his favorites too and would as much of them as possible. Once we sat down to
eat, usually out of sight of the adult werekin, I’d take food off his plate and
claim it for my own... usually after switching for the coveted rolls or extra
burger patty.

Just because he didn’t think I
should blood him didn’t mean I was above staking a subtle claim back then, and
I was proud to show the world that Kraig was my partner now. Every instinct I
possessed screamed at me to protect him with everything I had.

I tried to run my hand through
my hair, the lack of ruff startling me for a moment when the hair I expected to
be there wasn’t. Taking care of Kraig was a part of me, much like my animal
soul bonded with my human spirit—two halves of one whole.

Kraig was wilting visibly and
he hadn’t finished half of what was on his plate while most of us were done.

“Maybe tomorrow he’ll be able
to eat more,” I said. “He’s been through a long ordeal. Right now, Kraig knows
what his body needs.”

Lydia was his mother, but
Kraig was the blooded mate of an alpha, and he was an adult. We all wanted to
take care of him, but she couldn’t smother him in the process. He was already
pulling away from everyone. I met her eyes, urging her silently to understand
what she risked if she tried too hard.

The Kraig I knew before barely
tolerated it. I didn’t the Kraig sitting next to me would either, but the
yelling and rushing off to pout that marked his teenage years wouldn’t be his
response now. Pushing him before he’d had a chance to heal mentally could break
him completely.

She pressed her lips together
and echoed her son’s sigh then dipped her head in the slightest of nods.

“You want to go lay down,
Kraig?”

He nodded. He pushed his chair
back and tried to stand up, but his knees buckled. I’d half-expected it and was
ready. I hated how light his body was when I tugged Kraig into my arms. Steel
ran through my voice when I said, “We’ll see you later.” I didn’t even look
back.

He smelled amazing, but his
skin was cool, too cool for a bonded werekin. I nuzzled his head, rubbing both
sides of my face in his hair. My bed had plenty of blankets, but I planned to
warm him up other ways.

“What are you doing?” Kraig
asked when I set him down on the edge of the bed and tugged his shirt up,
urging him to lift his arms.

“You’re cold.” I nudged him
back and grabbed the shorts barely hanging on to his hips even with the
drawstring pulled tight.

“And taking off my clothes is
a good idea because?” He raised an eyebrow.

I yanked my shirt off and
tossed it toward the hamper. “Because I’m going to warm you up.”

Kraig’s breath caught in his
throat when I dropped my pants and kicked them away. “Naked,” he said in a
strangled voice. He pushed himself toward the head of the bed on his elbows,
collapsing on the pillows.

“Not the first time you’ve
seen me this way. We showered and slept together last night.” I slid the
blankets from under him and slipped into bed beside him, covering us both up. I
stayed on my side but Kraig rolled to face me. Our faces were inches away, but
I slid my hand across his side and down to his lower back, urging him closer
until our legs tangled together.

My cock plumped but I didn’t
feel an answering response. I stifled a stab of disappointment and fear. “We
haven’t really had much time to talk,” I said softly.

“I know.” Kraig’s eyes shifted
as he studied my face. I stroked one of the stripes on his shoulder that
terminated in a small row of rosettes. “You need information from me.”

“Telling me how you feel isn’t
so hard that you have to state it so... coldly, is it?” Kraig needed me, but I
hadn’t asked him before I blooded him. He’d said no, but I’d ignored him. Shame
pervaded me, but my need to save him had been greater and still was. No matter
what I had to do prove how sorry I was, the one thing I would never do was let
him go.

“How I... feel?” Kraig
repeated haltingly. He frowned.

“I thought we’d maybe talk in
the tub last night but you passed out on me, and then Park rushed in here this
morning. I certainly wasn’t going to
ask you in front of your parents.”

“They don’t need to know what
happened,” he said quickly.

His words struck a blow to my
heart. “I already sort of told your mom what I did.”

“What you did?” Kraig shook
his head. “I don’t think we’re talking about the same thing. This isn’t about
the doctor?”

“No. This is about us.” I
pressed closer. The scent of Kraig’s warming skin, the barely audible pulse of
his blood in the thin skin where I’d marked... I wanted to touch him, lick him,
and learn every spot on his body that made him writhe.

But he wasn’t aroused by me.

I’d blooded a man who didn’t
desire me in return, so how could I expect him to stay with me once he was
well? He’d never lose his status, but I wanted him and no one else.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

A Kind of Romance is the ideal title for this eBook by Lane Hayes. Is it a romance? Well... kind of. I think I was more sure of it than Zeke and Benny, though. After all, they weren't really friends. They were pushed together by Zeke's dad, but neither of them are really the other's type. What starts a quick drink date to appease an old man who means well--even if he's being pushy as hell about it--becomes a get to know you session. Zeke is casually insulting with his misconceptions, though he doesn't mean to be, and Benny is way too loud with his pink shirt and pink highlight.

Benny seems to peg Zeke a lot quicker than the other way around, challenging him and leaving him wanting more. But they're not boyfriends, so why does Zeke get all upset when he learns Benny has a real date?

Well you're going to have to read it to find out! It might include some hilarious embarrassment, but I won't spoil the surprise.

I loved Lane's writing style, and A Kind of Romance is a real page-turner. I was easily drawn into the story and the words effortlessly got out of the way as I followed Zeke and Benny's whirlwind... not romance. Well maybe romance. There is kissing. And other stuff. Fan yourself and don't read in a public place hot stuff. Add in some snark, some fabulousness, and some growly denial for a five star eBook you should go read right now!

TITLE: A Kind of Romance

SERIES: A Kind of Story

AUTHOR: Lane Hayes

COVER ARTIST: Aaron Anderson

LENGTH: 82,963 words

RELEASE DATE: June 06, 2016

BLURB: Zeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no-nonsense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can’t let go—not until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas. The new hire at the family-owned bagel store is somewhat colorful, but his dad is sure he’s the perfect man for Zeke.

Benny Ruggieri is a fiercely proud New Yorker who dreams of making it big as a costume designer in the theater. In the meantime, he’s working two part-time jobs in the food biz. When his new boss sets him up with his successful son, Benny has zero expectations. If nothing else, he figures he can entertain himself by making the uptight businessman squirm. Instead, the two become unlikely friends with an inexplicable attraction they can’t ignore. Benny might be the one to help Zeke set aside his quest for revenge, if he’s willing to let go and forgive what he can’t forget… and give in to an unexpected kind of romance.

THEY SAID you could
remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when a life-altering
event took place. I could do better than that. I could tell you the date and
time too. May 9, 7:04 a.m…. It was a Monday. Of course. I was standing in my
kitchen, cradling a cup of coffee while reading the news on my iPad when my
cell phone rang. I didn’t think twice about it. It rang all the fucking time.
The setting was almost always on vibrate, but last night I’d changed it,
thinking I didn’t want to miss Taylor’s call in case he decided to come by. He
didn’t call. And he didn’t come over. I didn’t really think he would, but when
we ran into each other at the farmers’ market in Union Square Sunday morning,
I’d foolishly hoped he might. That was our spot. It seemed like providence. A
sign of some sort telling us we should stop this nonsense and get back together
immediately. True, Taylor had confessed he’d been cheating on me with one of my
coworkers for the past six months, but… still.

The second round of
incessant ringing served as a reminder I was a complete moron for wanting him
back. And when I saw the name displayed on my cell, I knew the caller would
agree wholeheartedly.

“Mornin’, Pops.”

“Ezekiel?”

I didn’t recognize the
voice on the line. It was masculine but a little high-pitched. Definitely not
Dad. Whoever he was, he was calling from my father’s phone. My heart slammed
against my chest in a wave of instant panic.

“He fell and hit his
head. We called 9-1-1. The paramedics said it looked like a superficial wound,
but there was blood everywhere and—They’re taking him to Mount Sinai on First.
I’m following now with William. Filipe doesn’t speak much English, so Rand is
staying to help mind the store and—”

“Whoa! Hang on. Where
was he?” It was a stupid question. However, I felt nauseated from the
unexpected adrenaline rush and was struggling to catch up and make sense of
this conversation.

“Wait! Who are you?” I
asked, staring into the open great room of my condo in a trancelike state.

I noted the sun’s
reflection on the shiny dark hardwood floors and the way the tiny flecks of
dust sparkled like fairy dust in the air. But I felt as though I were in a
vacuum. Sound was muffled, and the light was suddenly too bright. I pushed away
from the island and moved with purpose toward my bedroom, forgetting I’d been
waiting for a response until the caller spoke again.

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles both be men! Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her first novel was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow lab ever in an almost empty nest.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

More tidbits, more questions! Here's a little more of both for readers to enjoy. This week's flash update was inspired by the prompt: have a tornado in your story. Happy reading!

Chapter Four

“Hi, Dad,” said Kraig. He looked down
at his hands and then slipped them under the blanket over his lap.

“How are you doing this morning,
honey?" asked his mom. Lydia hurried over, so I moved out of her way and
stood off to the side of the couch. She ran her hand over Kraig’s forehead. “Do
you sleep well?”

“I’m fine. The alpha helped me take a
shower last night.”

I put my hand on Kraig’s shoulder and
squeeze gently. “Deke.”

Kraig leaned his head back and looked
up at me. “What?”

“I’m not just your alpha. We’ve known
each other forever and…” I looked up at Kraig’s dad. He’d entered the room but
he still stood several feet away from the couch. “I didn’t have a chance to
speak with you first, but I blooded Kraig. I should have had more control but I
didn’t. I hope you can forgive me.”

Henry shook his head. “Lydia told me
about that last night. You’ve always been like another son to us, and everyone
knew how you felt about Kraig.”

My face flamed. Once my hormones had
settled and I’ve gotten past the obnoxious stage of being attracted to everyone
with a firm chest and tight ass, I’d been very fixated on Kraig. No one had
taken it seriously; an alpha heir just did not have a future with a human
werekin. I couldn’t have cared less what everybody else thought, but Kraig was
just as insistent on ignoring the heat between us. Once he turned eighteen he’d
left.

At just twenty, he insisted I didn’t
know what I really wanted. That he was familiar to me and that was the only
reason I was so attracted to him. He calmly packed a suitcase—not even looking
at me when he shot me down. No matter what I said or did he’d been determined
to leave.

Look how that turned out.

Who knew what people would say once
they saw him? In our streak Kraig was loved. No matter what had been done to
him our family would accept him. But what about the other groups? Had the
doctor experimented on any other werekin? I really needed to go over his files
again. There was so much I didn’t know, but Kraig came first. He needed a lot
of care both physically and emotionally. I wasn’t going to let him down again.

Linda had grabbed Kraig’s hand and had
let go and she sat down beside him. Henry had yet to close the gap between
them, and I could see the pain in Kraig’s eyes. He closed his eyes, but his lip
trembled.

His mom squeezed his hand. “He is
still our son, Henry.” She narrowed her eyes and stared at her husband with a
look. Experience made me wince in sympathy for him. “If you can’t look past—”

“No, Mom. It’s too much to expect. I
can’t even look at myself in the mirror.”

Kraig’s dad crossed the space between
them into big steps. He squatted next to the couch and clamped his hand on
Kraig’s thigh when Kraig inched away. I tense but held my place. Henry’s voice
shook as he said, “You could look like the damned hippopotamus, and I wouldn’t
care. I thought you were dead. To get you back… I don’t know what to say right
now, but I love you. You are my son no matter what you look like on the
outside."

“But I’m not the same on the inside
either. I have a werekin soul.” Kraig took a breath and met his dad’s gaze. “Two
of them.”

“That was obvious.” Henry reached up
and traced the black lines outlining Kraig’s elongated cheek bones, the
rosettes on his neck, then dropped a hand down to cover the stripes on Kraig’s
arm with his fingers. “You have beautiful markings.”

“No one has two souls. It’s
abomination,” Kraig whispered.

“Says who?” I barked.

Kraig craned his head back to look at
me. “The werekin who were working with the doctor. For him? Or maybe he was
working for them. I don’t know. They wanted me dead, though.”

This was all information I didn’t
know. “Who are these werekin? Bonded or human? I need names.”

Kraig closed his eyes and sighed. “I
don’t know. It’s all so hazy, and it’s hard to remember the details. There were
others though, werekin and not human.” Kraig rubbed his forehead with a shaky
hand.

“That’s enough,” Linda said. “You need
to eat and rest so you can recover your strength.” She straightened up. “Questions
can wait.”

I might be the alpha, but I was not
about to gainsay my blooded mate’s mother. Especially not since she’d tanned my
hide more than a few times growing up so I knew her bark was not even close to
her bite. Not even my position would save me if she thought I wasn’t treating
her baby with all the care he deserved.

Good thing I agreed with her. “Why don’t
we eat? There’s plenty for everyone.”

Having Linda in the house was like
inviting in a hurricane. We were seated around the table in my sitting room,
food piled high on every plate, in what felt like the space of a blink. Kraig
stared at the mound of eggs in front of him.

“Eat.”

The fork he grabbed rattled against
the plate and the eggs slid off. Kraig made a small sound and tried again, but
there was next to nothing on the fork by the time it got to his mouth. Everyone
tried to avoid staring, but I couldn’t watch his struggle and do nothing. I
grabbed a sausage off my plate and wrapped it in a syrup-soaked pancake. “Here.”

Silence blanketed the dining room as
everyone froze.

“That’s yours,” he said.

“You’re mine.” I held it out, chuffing.
“Take it.”

Kraig took the food and a low purr
filled the silence. “Thanks.”

“Eat.”

TBC

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